Vice President Paul Ryan: Could free enterprise get its groove back?

posted at 11:01 am on August 11, 2012 by Erika Johnsen

I’ve made no secret out of the fact that I’ve long been rooting for Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal for Mitt Romney’s running mate selection, but when I went to check my e-mail and the Twitters one last time before hittin’ the hay last night and saw the Paul Ryan news, I had about a twelve-second rush of confused and conflicting emotions before deciding that, actually… this is kind of awesome.

I was really afraid there for a while that Romney would go with Rob Portman or Tim Pawlenty — as competent as either of them might be, I’m sorry, but I confess that I side with the “vanilla”-detractors on that one. They’d just be so boring. And while a lot of the speculators were speculatin’ that Paul Ryan’s fiscal reform and budget proposals will be a liability because of the way the Left will hammer and distort them, I don’t happen to see it that way. Paul Ryan is one of the few politicians who has dared to suggest comprehensive, viable solutions to our dramatically unsustainable national spending habits. That is a good thing, and if we can frame it simply and correctly (ay, there’s the rub!), I think people will respond in the positive.

I’ve heard quite a few fellow conservatives express their ire that his plans don’t go far enough, and in a more perfect and ideal world, I’d wholeheartedly agree with them — but buck up, friends. It’s important to stand tall for your principles, but this isn’t a more perfect and ideal world. Huge, sweeping, and sudden changes are just not part of the infrastructure of our two-party republic. Sometimes you’ve gotta’ do things by halves to work toward a whole — it’s a heck of a lot better than doing nothing.

Our national debt, fueled by our rapacious entitlement programs, is perhaps the most utterly predictable, self-inflicted, and calamitously far-reaching problem in modern history. Honestly, it’s so painfully laughable when people accuse free enterprise of fueling human greed, when big government is so clearly what allows the negative aspects of greed to flourish. If you haven’t picked up on this yet (tee hee), freedom and free markets are pretty much my political guiding lights: Their penetrating power to solve all manner of material ills, without coercion or affectation, is unparalleled. Whatever their other political faults may be, I think Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan truly understand and respect free markets. While Mitt sometimes stumbles on communicating that message (“corporations are people” and “I like firing people” = essentially true, but unfortunately not the most appealing way to say it), I’ve only ever heard clarifying and effective free-market testaments from Paul Ryan so far.

Along with my Townhall buddy Guy Benson, I had the opportunity to sit down for a lengthy interview with Paul Ryan in the Capitol offices last summer. I usually approach all politicians’ sincerity with extreme skepticism, but I was amazed at how friendly, easygoing, earnest, polite, casual, and engaging Ryan was. Democrats are going to have their work cut out for them trying to make him look like a bad guy, because I really believe people are going to naturally like him. Oh, did I mention brilliant? Because the man was passionately spouting off about complex fiscal and tax scenarios like they were as simple as the ABCs.

Every time I’ve written about Paul Ryan since then, I’ve referred to him as a hard-hitting fiscal guru — and more than anything, that’s what America needs right now. His common sense and doggedness are invaluable, and I’m hoping this will be a positive and definitive step in moving America away from intellectually cheap populism and instead making free enterprise cool again. Let’s do this.

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Comments

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 11:51 AM
You didn’t do that. Somebody else made that happen.

Alabama Infidel on August 11, 2012 at 11:55 AM

Yeah great ad, but I can see Obama letting a terrorist attack happen to help his foreign policy cred. Suddenly terrorism is attached to the economy and you have two guys without ANY foreign policy experience.

I’m delighted with Romney’s choice of Ryan, and announcing now is timely. This will keep the focus squarely on the economy.

Even when Obama tries the MEDISCARE tactic, its still only opens the door for ROMNEY/RYAN to explain why entitlements must be reformed to save the safety net, reform the tax code, begin to pay off the deficit and debt, and put the nation back on the path to prosperity.

Per Ryan’s plan, those who are seniors, or soon to become seniors, will still have the same benefits they have today and the changes will be phased in for younger people over time. Once the truth about the plan is out, there will be no viable scare tactic for the Democrats to use on seniors.

Choosing Ryan also makes it clear that Romney has committed to doing away with Obamacare and its IRS enforcers, and replace it with better free market alternatives.

The nation desperately needed a qualified economic team in leadership. Now we have one.

Bowles Simpson, Obama took non of he recondmend actions, Ryan s going to dismantle the dems arguments with this thing. It is now a liability for Obama.
If he did something put of the committee he would of CYA, but he didn’t to our pleasure

I work with a bunch of good people. You loosen the chains and we explode. Right now we are just holding our breath. Get out of our way, give us a chance. We don’t want gubmint help, we’ll make our own way. Reduce energy costs and we hire people.

The cool thing about the Ryan pick is that Romney is saying succinctly…”we’re serious about reform”. We’re gonna HAVE that conversation.

And yeah, Democrats will be out trying to scare seniors silly. But the fact is, they ought to be scared silly already, because without reform the whole entitlement system is going kablooey. Obama and his cronies have already raided Medicare to the tune of a half trillion dollars to fund their Obamacare debacle, and doctors are already refusing and limiting Medicare patients. Seniors need to understand that Obamacare ultimately will result in rationing. And like other countries who ration healthcare, their lives will be put into a mathematical equation to determine their value.

Disappointing. Romney picked a Washington insider with no executive experience whose signature issue is tailor made to be demagogued by the Democrats and allows Obama to keep focus off the economy and jobs. He should have picked Jindal.

Anyone here that thinks Ryan is a bad VP choice should get a grip. Stop talking about Palin. The ticket is now Romney/Ryan and NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT.

I’ve honestly had enough of the “Palinistas” as they’re referred to here on Hotair. I never thought I would say this, but you’re worse than the “Obamabots”.

Palin is having a very positive effect helping to stock the senate and house with real conservatives. So far, her endorsements seem to have put people like Ted Cruz over the edge. (or she just coincidentally endorses people that were going to win anyway) I think its the former.

You have four choices. Support Romney/Ryan, vote for Obama, vote for a third party that has no chance of winning, and lastly — to not vote at all. Those are your choices and the latter 3 will effectively help to re-elect Obama. I’ll say it again. A vote for a third party candidate is a vote for Obama.

I don’t remember the exact quote. However, like the late Breitbart said, anyone that votes third party is essentially a traiter to the conservative cause and is only helping to put Obama back in office. Stop letting your emotions drive your choices, because that is what the liberals do. Their entire political ideology is illogical and emotionally driven. That is why their economic policies do not work. They are grounded on emotionally based theory and not on reality.

Do you really want more people like Kagan, Ginsberg, etc on the Supreme Court?

There IS a chance Romneys choice ends up being liberal like republican nominations of the past (justices that turned liberal after they won the nomination). There is NO chance that Obama will nominate a right leaning justice to the supreme court.

We need to get this neo-marxist/statist out of the white house and that is what we should ALL be focused on. Not who should have been the republican nomination. We don’t live in a perfect world.

Sit back and use the matter that exists between your ears before you go about spewing such stupidity. You know who you are.

Anybody gauged the lefty blog reactions? I don’t have the stomach for it. The Hill is bad enough.

wolly4321 on August 11, 2012 at 12:07 PM

Imagine if Hitler and Satan had a child whose last name was Koch and that child grew up to marry Sarah Palin and work at Halliburton when he wasn’t moonlighting as a serial killer. That’s pretty much the reaction.

i think its a positive choice. being romney all over the place as politician, the more coherent ryan will help romney.
it will be hard to demonize ryan, its true, and the left will have to attack the ryan plan and little else.
or they will just try to ignore ryan as much as possible and focus on romney.

Romney supporters showed up at my door this morning in Arlington County (VA). You don’t have any idea how hard a sell a Republican candidate is among my commie neighbors but they were out there doing it! I feel better that, at least, they are not taking any vote for granted.

Anybody gauged the lefty blog reactions? I don’t have the stomach for it. The Hill is bad enough.

wolly4321 on August 11, 2012 at 12:07 PM

Imagine if Hitler and Satan had a child whose last name was Koch and that child grew up to marry Sarah Palin and work at Halliburton when he wasn’t moonlighting as a serial killer. That’s pretty much the reaction.

Honestly, it’s so painfully laughable when people accuse free enterprise of fueling human greed, when big government is so clearly what allows the negative aspects of greed to flourish.

That’s the kind of blind slavish loyalty some folks have to the welfare state.. I know personally three different people who live by gaming welfare, and now that Obama has gutted the work requirement, they’re just happy as clams.. see they’d sign up for cash assistance then never show up for the required hours.. after three months of checks, they’d be sanctioned for 6 months, then sign up and do it all over again.. now, they can just sit back and watch TV and the checks keep coming if this stands,.. and look for work?.. you ARE kidding right? They never look for work, just mooch off family till they can get back on welfare.

These people do exist, I have met them,.. being in the lower income working class, you do.. everyone around me knows someone like that.

Imagine if Hitler and Satan had a child whose last name was Koch and that child grew up to marry Sarah Palin and work at Halliburton when he wasn’t moonlighting as a serial killer. That’s pretty much the reaction.

Imagine if Hitler and Satan had a child whose last name was Koch and that child grew up to marry Sarah Palin and work at Halliburton when he wasn’t moonlighting as a serial killer. That’s pretty much the reaction.

Kataklysmic on August 11, 2012 at 12:15 PM

that bad huh?

Thanks for the ground work.. I can’t go to these sites.. it pegs out my blood pressure even through the meds. That much hatred and stupidity all in once place should cause a fusion blast bigger than the bomb tests in the Bikini islands….. Glad it doesn’t but woah… these people can HATE…

Yes comrade you found me out, I am aging former cougar by day handsome Slavic Sub Technician in downtown DC by night.

Speaking of people who can change gender/ideology/career by day and night…

Question: Many people say Usher and the Sable Haired man will destroy the other side because both men have tried to incorporate some Leftist ideas in crisis…..

will Usher and Bye-Dan look smart when they ask paul Ryan why he voted for Tarp and the bailouts and RR team says, “well because YOU said it was a crisis and you were not exactly in a mode that said anything we said mattered….you asked for a trillion dollars to get UE3 down to 5.7% and I cut the check and you went out and gave the unions and your patrons a bonus….”?????

Can’t question Romney’s pick or you are a Palinista or a traitor to the Republican cause. I used to think this was the party that thought for themselves, but no more.

Yeah I will vote for the horrible ticket of the R’s because I have been held hostage this election, but no more.

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 12:21 PM

Nobody says you can’t criticize and you know nobody actually could stop you..

But labeling yourself the grand inquister of the party and throwing a righteous hissy over every event doesn’t make for a popular opinion.

and seriously.. do you think siphoning off votes from the anti-Obama ticket isn’t helping Obama?

I’d love to see what math you’re using to come to that conclusion.. because .. well think Perot in 92.. Clinton won with a plurality.. and Bush lost because of your kind of thinking, that you’d show them…

The GOP really learned that lesson didn’t it?

The rank and file picked Romney.. you can hate it, but that fact remains.. the establishment pick wouldn’t matter if a strong conservative had run.. but none did.. that’s just how it worked out, calling the people names and getting huffy because people aren’t fond that you have to be a sanctimonious iconoclast doesn’t help.

I am so jazzed! The reports that Romney, in part, chose Ryan because there is a chemistry between them would indicate to me that this will be a team that works closely together. Perhaps Ryan’s tenure as VP will be different than most, i.e. far more active and involved.

Yesterday I took the time to read more about Mitt. The takeaway for me is that always took on leadership responsibilities – in business, in his church ministry and as governor. One may differ with his policies, but he seems to be a tenacious problem solver who enjoys challenges.

I’m not besotted with Mitt, but taking the time to learn more about him makes me feel more hopeful. The Ryan pick tells me a lot about Romney, and it’s all good.

and seriously.. do you think siphoning off votes from the anti-Obama ticket isn’t helping Obama?

I’d love to see what math you’re using to come to that conclusion.. because .. well think Perot in 92.. Clinton won with a plurality.. and Bush lost because of your kind of thinking, that you’d show them…

One word: Virginia. If we lose the WH because people voted for Goode instead of Romeny, they deserve to be shunned…

Nobody says you can’t criticize and you know nobody actually could stop you..

But labeling yourself the grand inquister of the party and throwing a righteous hissy over every event doesn’t make for a popular opinion.

and seriously.. do you think siphoning off votes from the anti-Obama ticket isn’t helping Obama?

I’d love to see what math you’re using to come to that conclusion.. because .. well think Perot in 92.. Clinton won with a plurality.. and Bush lost because of your kind of thinking, that you’d show them…

The GOP really learned that lesson didn’t it?

The rank and file picked Romney.. you can hate it, but that fact remains.. the establishment pick wouldn’t matter if a strong conservative had run.. but none did.. that’s just how it worked out, calling the people names and getting huffy because people aren’t fond that you have to be a sanctimonious iconoclast doesn’t help.

mark81150 on August 11, 2012 at 12:36 PM

Since foreign policy directly affects my life.. excuse the &^*) out of me for being concerned for the lack of foreign policy on the ticket. When your husband can get killed based on foreign policy decisions; it makes you a little sensitive.

I see Paul Ryan making big inroads among younger people. There is a “hunger” out there for an ideology of responsibility and limited government, you see “green shoots” of it with a Libertarian type candidates like Ron Paul.

Ryan is a nice departure from the GOP stereotype of some mixture of Donald Trump with a Southern televangelist. I see more young people giving the GOP a chance than say a Romney/Portman ticket.

I’m not besotted with Mitt, but taking the time to learn more about him makes me feel more hopeful. The Ryan pick tells me a lot about Romney, and it’s all good.

Romney/Ryan! It just rolls off the tongue, eh?

Cody1991 on August 11, 2012 at 12:39 PM

We’re on the same page, I resisted Mitt for a long time, but now that he’s actually getting out there more and more, I’m feeling increasingly better about him, whatever differences I’ve had with his past choices. When I heard him and Ann in public at a rally, I felt really good about it.

We need a problem solver, and Ryan shows he’s serious, and not just posing for the camera, he intends to fix the economy.. I pray he’s the right man, and now.. I’m optimistic about his intentions.. more than before.

Since foreign policy directly affects my life.. excuse the &^*) out of me for being concerned for the lack of foreign policy on the ticket. When your husband can get killed based on foreign policy decisions; it makes you a little sensitive.

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 12:41 PM

For crying out loud. At this moment in time this country HAS no foreign policy.

Eastern Europe?
North Korea?
Iran?
Syria?
Shall I go on?

Having your surrogates lob Tomahawks at remote camps in the Afghan/Pakistan border while you play another round of golf so you have political cover is NOT a foreign policy.

Were you in a coma last week when Romney made a pass through Israel and Poland? Two countries “Fore!” couldn’t even be bothered to visit much less support.

I applaud and am grateful for your husband’s service, but the intellectual vacuum in the White House at present has NO foreign policy.

For crying out loud. At this moment in time this country HAS no foreign policy.

Eastern Europe?
North Korea?
Iran?
Syria?
Shall I go on?

Having your surrogates lob Tomahawks at remote camps in the Afghan/Pakistan border while you play another round of golf so you have political cover is NOT a foreign policy.

Were you in a coma last week when Romney made a pass through Israel and Poland? Two countries “Fore!” couldn’t even be bothered to visit much less support.

I applaud and am grateful for your husband’s service, but the intellectual vacuum in the White House at present has NO foreign policy.

Tenwheeler on August 11, 2012 at 12:48 PM

Either you are extremely obtuse or you don’t read. I was responding to a poster who said that someone is a traitor for questioning the Ryan pick. I am already a Romney voter. My whole frickin post was questioning the pick of Ryan. You do know that not everyone has to love every decision that is made by the Republican nominee?

Foreign policy experience isn’t necessary per se. What is however is the willingness to address an issue head on with an equal willingness to listen to your military and diplomatic advisers. Romney will do this from the Oval office not the golf course.

Yeah, watching Ryan destroy Biden in a debate will be fun, but its Obama that has to hate this even more. Time and again Ryan exposes Obama as an intellectual poser and Obama hates him for that. Watch for the total implosion of the Obama campaign starting this week. All they have are these silly Rromney killed my wife type ads that everybody thinks make the president look like the child he is. Looks like the adults will be moving back into town shortly.

We need a problem solver, and Ryan shows he’s serious, and not just posing for the camera, he intends to fix the economy.. I pray he’s the right man, and now.. I’m optimistic about his intentions.. more than before.

mark81150 on August 11, 2012 at 12:47 PM

Yes, I was reluctant in accepting Mitt. Little by little I’m feeling better about him. Ryan helps. If we can elect more conservatives in the House and Senate, especially young guns like Rubio and hopefully, Cruz, we can keep Mitt on track.

This is what we have. This is the beginning of a long undertaking.

I know what I have to do, and I hope those who are disappointed will re-think their position and get on board. We have a lot of work ahead of us.

Disappointing. Romney picked a Washington insider with no executive experience whose signature issue is tailor made to be demagogued by the Democrats and allows Obama to keep focus off the economy and jobs. He should have picked Jindal.

SAZMD on August 11, 2012 at 12:08 PM

I liked Jindal too. But Ryan, while offering the same wonky ability to pull facts and figures out of his butt at will, offers something else as well. He changes the national debate. And yeah, it’s a big, scary subject, and it’s going to be a tough slog. But instead of indulging Obama in his preferred attack of class warfare and stirring up antipathy against Bain Capital. Now, they’re going to have to talk about the issues, and our unsustainable entitlements in particular. This administration had utterly refused to do that. And now, they’re going to be forced to talk about it.

If Republicans are mostly careful not to undercut Romney too directly, the quasi-public weighing of options for next cycle is not a big vote of confidence in the GOP’s 2012 candidate.

Ed Rollins, Ronald Reagan’s campaign manager who ran Huckabee’s 2008 race, said these are the normal rhythms of the closing days of a national race, adding that the interest around the GOP bench reflects a simple fact: “People don’t think Romney’s got that great a shot. He hasn’t run a very good campaign.”

Romney is already becoming a joke.

Paul Ryan was obvious it changes nothing really perhaps his home state but only perhaps. They had been close to each other for some time no surprise. Simply a very safe choice. No Boldness at all.

When your husband can get killed based on foreign policy decisions; it makes you a little sensitive.

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 12:41 PM

LOL- I missed this.. You realize that my post was in response to a guy that said anyone who questioned the ticket was a traitor or a Palinista right?

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 12:45 PM

First… Dear Lord Mam.. I’m sorry that you have that worry, truly I am, I had friends over there, but my service days are long past,.. so me re-enlisting was never an option.. and now I have a 17 year old nephew thinking strongly about enlisting.

But that explains the passion of your post.. My prayers go to your husbands safety.. and may he ease your fears.. though nothing can stop that.

second.. no actually, I was late to the thread, so I hadn’t seen that post..

I in general don’t entirely disagree with what you write, but just as a matter of principle, Romney has to be a vast improvement over Obama in foreign policy.. it all comes down to who he picks as his close advisers on it.. and how much he listens to them.

I respect that you disagree.. but seeing that you are voting R, I can’t find fault with you explaining why it bothers you.. and telling someone to back off… I’m not an enemy.. I have no dog in the Palin fight,.. and I get that people have passionate concerns.. I’m just pointing out that being the stand out critic, some arrow catching is part of that..

But I really didn’t know you were responding to someone directly.. I took it as a general comment.

Romney has to be elected first. Forgive me for thinking that Obama’s October surprise is a terrorist attack which effects the economy. Or he closes Gitmo to give red meat to his base. Do we have anyone on the ticket that can confidently handle those situations if they arise?

Oh good grief. Spare me the martyr routine. There were a number of sound VP choices available this cycle, each with their relative strengths and weaknesses, and Romney chose one of them. There was no perfect choice. Having some superficial appearance of foreign policy experience on the ticket isn’t going to make much of a difference, one way or the other. Do you think that Bush set Reagan’s FP?

You do realize that this is a political blog where people come to state opinions, right?

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 12:59 PM

You do realize that I never said you could not state your opinion,right?

I just made the point that when it comes to picking the VP, that is generally left to the discretion of the person running for President..that is why we do not get to vote for the pick.

I have a lot of family over seas..a lot of relatives who are career military and I am happy with this ticket. I am concerned about foreign policy as well…and I think that on that score Romney/Ryan beats Obama/Biden.

Having some superficial appearance of foreign policy experience on the ticket isn’t going to make much of a difference, one way or the other. Do you think that Bush set Reagan’s FP?

ghostwriter on August 11, 2012 at 1:04 PM

I repeat:

Romney has to be elected first. Forgive me for thinking that Obama’s October surprise is a terrorist attack which effects the economy. Or he closes Gitmo to give red meat to his base. Do we have anyone on the ticket that can confidently handle those situations if they arise?

Romney has to be elected first. Forgive me for thinking that Obama’s October surprise is a terrorist attack which effects the economy. Or he closes Gitmo to give red meat to his base. Do we have anyone on the ticket that can confidently handle those situations if they arise?

Romney has to be elected first. Forgive me for thinking that Obama’s October surprise is a terrorist attack which effects the economy. Or he closes Gitmo to give red meat to his base. Do we have anyone on the ticket that can confidently handle those situations if they arise?

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 1:03 PM

melle1228 on August 11, 2012 at 1:06 PM

Are you suggesting Obama is going to stage a terrorist attack against the United States?

Romney is no joke…if he was just a joke, the desperate Democrats would not have to run dishonest ads calling him a murderer…an ad that was so despicable that even Wolf Blitzer could not stomach it.

No, at this point, I would say Romney was a threat and Obama is the joke…a bad one that got played on the USA.

Terrye on August 11, 2012 at 1:01 PM

Perty bad when Ed Rollins says you have no chance really.

Obama is trying to get the base to not vote at all. He does not care about Romney but needs someone to focus the attacks on now that he can not get away with attacking Bush. Romney is just the new target. Obama is not the least bit worried he will lose though. He knows that Mitt is a very weak opponent who does not even act much like he wants to win. I mean his Press Secutary puts her foot in her mouth big time Mitt keeps her. On the biggest issue of this election she basically said Mitt will keep RObama Care. After all she would have been covered with either. That is what was important that she be covered. Who cares who pays for that coverage.

The FisCons are wetting themselves over Ryan. They’ll do so again with bitter tears in November.

Stoic Patriot on August 11, 2012 at 12:54 PM

Personally, I’m not a fiscal con, never have been.. I’m primarily a defense con, with strong feelings in support of social and fiscal cons..

I’m just jumping up and down happy that we don’t have another Quayle issue, when because a guy isn’t good with a camera, the media will slap a “he’s stupid” sticker on his forehead.. kinda hard after they touted him as a republican serious mind and deep thinker. Finally the only real problem we’ll have isn’t a flaw in the nominee, but how much they’ll lie about him.

Disagree with the man, but nobody can say with a straight face he isn’t a good choice.

I expect some will poo poo the nomination because they favored another name..

or because they are a Paulian..

or a troll…

or simply they like starting a fight..

there are a lot of reasons.. but your comment was a really descriptive way to say, you’re bitter and you hope we loose, to prove you right..